***Official MLB 2K9 Retail Version Impressions***

[Tomba]

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Guru~

the show is a fantastic game...it has some issues that i hate but is still the best game in the market if you own a 360 only then i cannot recommend spending that kind of money with these tough times for a game only.. ps3 is a great system but so is the 360 last year i bought the ps3 for the show and for blu ray movies the show is the only game i play on my ps3 along with kz which i just got last year i bought the ps3 because 2k8 was utter garbage...i was a big fan of 2k7 but they killed it last year and i needed my baseball fix i was sold on the demo for the show last year and played that game more then any in my life this years game is better and fantastic...the show that is but i decided to give 2k a chance to get me back and they made a much better game this year the pitching is just flat out outstanding...much better then the shows pitching system....IMO the hitting is challenging....I think that those 2 aspects alone are fantastic and worth a rental at least if you are deep into franchise stuff then you might pull your hair out with the exclusion of editing stances for rosters and created players graphics are rather weak for next gen...textures on the uniforms are fantastic...you can see the stitches on the numbers stadiums are nicely done...commentators are the best i have heard next to the show.... presentation is outstanding... just the fact that you have serious roster issues some akward animations and rather weak graphics for next gen... you got a game that is leaving you wondering what you will get next year with anticipation if you just have a 360 get it and i think you can get good fun all season long and next year lets hope they deliver the best they can offer.... pitching alone in this game is worth the time and effort...i can pitch all day long and not care for batting ....lol

great post there guru.

i too got a ps3 last year for the show AND pro yakyuu spirits(that konami japanese baseball game)

And for me the ps3 is great when march 3rd comes along from now on BECAUSE OF the show period.

Like you i thought 2k8 was total garbage. unplaybale unwatchable and just plain ugly.

this years 2k9 just looks so much better has a better feel to it overall BUt the omissions to the edit mode and the strike zone meter might kill it for me if i can not get something that i can get accustomed too. living rosters were a complete joke for nba 2k9 and if they think they'll be better for mlb 2k9 then we got another thing comin'...

[BigL]

I hope the sliders can correct the AI hitting because I think its a good game that is mirred with a lot of quirks that you can over look. But the hitting has to be fixed.

The framerate issue is about 95% resolved. There are still some hiccups occassionally and a few skips here and there but they are a nonissue. There is one framerate gripe I will list in my negatives but The framerate in 2k9 to me finally feels more like playing The Show and Professional Baseball Spirits (I had it last year) than the last 2 2Ks'

Player models are a big improvement from last year's game and about as good as 2k7. Though some guys are a little too juiced up, Nick Swisher's forearms look like Lex Luger's.

Im seeing more foul balls, not as many as Id like, but more than previous years.

The AI plays a smarter game this year. THey bunt where they should, they steal, and they even pulled off a double steal on me.

Commentary is phenominal, like watching a real game. There are a few mishaps where Thorne does not properly relay what happened on the field, but overall its a 9.5 out of 10. Amazingly done.

Crowd reactions is hit and miss, they react really well to some plays and on others they are like zombies.

The bat/ball sound is fine too me, nothing like the gunshot sounds we were hearing on the beta videos, on weakly hit balls the sound is very realistic.

I enjoy the real time but the live dug outs need a lot of work. The players on the bench sometimes clap after you make an out.

Player attributes seem to be well implemented this year. JohnnY Damon and Brett Gardner have weak arms.

Some negatives

AI hitting. As discussed already the AI does not take enough strikes. In additon to that I am also not seeing enough swings and misses. The AI hits teh ball too much. I was throwing sinkers low in the dirt and the AI was golfing them to the outfield wall. Hopefully the sliders can fix this.

There is STILL the missing frame when the Pitcher's release the ball. For those who dont know what I mean, the ball changes direction (defying physics) once the ball leaves the pitchers hand. To some this may seem trivial, but to me it makes it difficult to pick up some pitches. Sometimes I think its a fastball coming out of the hand only for the ball to morph into a cruve totaly throwing off my timing. Not only that, it makes the game look ugly. Even when positional players throw teh ball you will seee this. Its Just sloppy and I dont know why its still a problem 3 years in.,

The outfield play is atrocious, too many things are wrong here. There is an odd slow down (not a frame rate issue but the game just slows) on certain fly balls. The animations are sloppy, too much looking in one direction and throwing to another, bad angles on Fly balls. It's just bad

I am not seeing any take out slides

The animations need to move a little faster at times, seems forever to turn a double play when it needs to be quickly executed.

Am I doing something wrong or you CANNOT access your bullpen from the in game menu? The only way I was able to do it was by pausing the game.

I thought it was ridiculous that Chien Ming Wang did not have a fast ball (neither a 2 or 4 seamer) in his pitching repitoire so he has to be edited. He only has a sinker, slider and change. Note to 2K; EVERY PITCHER IN BASEBALL THROWS A FASTBALL. EVERY PITCHER IN THE GAME SHOULD HAVE A FASTBALL IN THEIR REPITIORE. Thanks.

I've heard people complain about the uniforms, to me they are fine overall, only problem I see is the logos on the hats are too big.

THats about it after playing two games. Again, I like the game, a lot of things tug it back but if the AI hitting can be modified then I will give it about a 7.5 out of 10 because right now that is my only major gripe with the game. If it cannot be fixed than I give it about a 6. Please excuse my spelling. Im kind of tired.

[lived]

Good post BigL. Good to know the bat sounds were cleaned up in the final. Like you said the AI agression is the hot topic and will sway the ratings. I hope 2k responds to this and fast

[Padgoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Str8_A

Hey Padgoi, I have a question regarding cursor hitting. So will we still be able to somehow influence where we want to place the ball on the field? I.E., (right handed hitter) to pull, swing early, or to go with the pitch, swing late. Flyballs or groundballs?

Yes, you can still influence by swinging early or late. You CANNOT influence with the right stick, the right stick is ONLY used for placing the cursor. But if you swing early, you will pull and vice versa. It is true cursor hitting, i.e. INCREDIBLY difficult without the right sliders.

[kcxiv]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tomba

this years 2k9 just looks so much better has a better feel to it overall BUt the omissions to the edit mode and the strike zone meter might kill it for me if i can not get something that i can get accustomed too. living rosters were a complete joke for nba 2k9 and if they think they'll be better for mlb 2k9 then we got another thing comin'...

Living rosters was one of the best things to happen to NBA2K9. I love how they did that. Same with EA's deal. Fixing rosters for online play the day of a trade or the next day after are great.

[PVarck31]

Guys, I have a good feeling that at least the AI batting issue will be fixed sooner than later. That's all I can say about it. Please don't ask where I got the info.

[Mercury112491]

awsome sorta news, where'd you get your information?


seriously though if this is true......

[Village Idiot]

Quote: Originally Posted by EsaQue

It may sound vain, but the not editing batting stances thing is a pretty big deal to me. I know a lot of us like to have accurate stances (look at all the batting stance threads from last year). This probably isn't a purchase for me until this is fixed (if it ever is). I'll save my $60 and play 2k8 again.

And you didn't even mention that it applies to pitching deliveries, too.

Inability to turn off the pitching cursor (the softball) is another thing that is pretty shocking to me.

Add that to the fact the graphics are still lagging behind 2K7 (let alone some more recent games that display what next-gen graphics are capable of), and add a few other things I could complain about but won't, this game is officially a no-go for me too.